Correction appended.
Graduate Student Senate formed an appeals board to investigate an appeal submitted against the election process that concluded in February 2019, which is the first time in the body’s history.
The appeals board was formed after Brett Fredericksen, a candidate for president in the Graduate Student Senate elections, submitted an appeal against the election process.
Daniel Williams, the head of the appeals board, said in an email that Fredericksen questioned the election process, discouraged discussion or consideration of individual candidates’ characteristics, or “fitness,” for office, and demanded an unbiased and impartial appeal process.
According to the appeal, Fredericksen believed there was a significant reason to question whether or not the election was conducted in a manner “consistent” with the intent of GSS governing documents and the ideals of graduate student population.
Williams said GSS President Maria Modayil selected him as the appeals board chair because she determined she was too closely connected to some of the issues.
“Although this is the first time that an appeals board has been formed to consider a challenge to a GSS election, the formation and conduct of the appeals board is within the normal operation of GSS as an institution promoting graduate student governance,” Williams said.
Modayil said as soon as she received the appeal she halted the hand-off of her position as president to Dareen Tadros, the next elected president for GSS.
“As president of this body, which is a democratic governmental body, I also feel like it is my duty to respect the right of someone to appeal,” Modayil said.
Tadros, a second-year graduate student studying international development and public health, said she was allowed to attend one of the executive meetings, held by GSS executives every Friday, but once the appeal came through she wasn’t allowed to attend another.
“I definitely respect the appeal, however, I don’t see the relation,” Tadros said. “If I would be attending the meeting that would not affect the appeal. However, this would be for the good of GSS because I was the elected president.”
Modayil said she informed the body that she was planning on halting the hand-off. No one in the body expressed any concerns so she proceeded.
Tadros said she noticed the rules and procedures state that it is prohibited for candidates to run for more than one voting position during elections. The senate decided to suspend the rules and procedures to allow candidates to run for more than one position, but it took place after the announcement of the candidates.
Modayil said the senate has introduced a new system for elections this year than the one they used in the past. Modayil said some of the confusion that has come with elections is in light of those recent changes.
The results of the election or the appeal have not been announced publicly, such as on social media or through email. Tadros said she was concerned that GSS didn’t inform the public and the full graduate student population about the appeal process.
Modayil said they haven’t made the appeal public for a few reasons, and the body agreed to this in a “roundabout” way. Per GSS rules and procedures, the appeals board is made up of GSS members, so they didn’t want to overly bias the members on the board by releasing information about the appeal.
The results for president have been out for about a month, and the appeal board will meet Tuesday to make a decision.
“For good governance we need for everyone to be aware of what is happening because we are not representing a few students, we are advocating for all of the graduate students and we need to be communicating what is happening with all of the graduate students,” Tadros said.
Williams said the appeals board collected statements and documentation from everyone in GSS and from all students who were named throughout the investigation, and it’s hoping to have any additional documents or statements submitted by this week.
“The strength of the material to support or reject claims made in the allegations is under review,” Williams said.
The appeals board anticipates that it will present its findings to the body during its next meeting on April 2 at 7 p.m. in Walter 235.
Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated the points of the appeal and when the decision would be made. The article has been updated to reflect the most accurate information.
